Ghosts
by Cooldudette
Summary: When Zack appears during Cloud's fight with Sephiroth during Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete. How did that make Cloud feel and what if things ended differently? What if Cloud had chased after Zack and Aerith? Sad ending. NEW CHAPTER. Zack's pov.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi all, **

**this is my first ever Final Fantasy VII fanfiction, it is also my first fic to ever feature a gay relationship, it took me a long time to build up to writing it and then even longer to post it, my nerves kept getting in my way. So I finally posted it and thank you to eveyone who has favourited or reviewed my story it means alot to me.**

**I now have the privilege of submitting to you 'Ghosts,' the beautiful new edited version thanks to spopococ - check her out she is awesome!**

**P.S - as much as I wish they were mine, the characters and world belong to Square Enix.**

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Sephiroth stabbed me repeatedly; through the arm, hand, leg, torso, even through my foot! The pain was terrible. I fell to the ground. Hard. I forced myself to move, blood coating the ground around me, pouring from my wounds. I couldn't die here. Not now. I forced myself into a sitting position, leaning heavily on my sword; my lifeline.

"So what if it looks hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up."

I stiffened. That voice, so familiar… so painful to hear...

"Embrace your dreams, and whatever happens, protect your honor as SOLDIER. Okay... you never made soldier, but it's what's in here that counts," The figure tapped his chest over his heart.

Yes. It had to be Zack. Nobody else could joke in this situation.

"Z...Zack...I..."

"Well? You need a hand with him?"

The voice was warm and familiar. I wanted to say yes. I wanted Zack to stay with me. Nothing could make me happier, but… that was selfish. I shook my head, a quick movement. I stood, painfully, struggling with even that simple task. My sword felt heavy as I dragged it upward, my muscles groaning and painful. Half holding, half leaning on my sword, I tried to find my balance. I had to have some strength left to finish this; once and for all. Finally I was upright, staggering.

"You already beat him once, didn't you? This should be a cinch!"

He turned to face me now. It took everything I had not to turn to him, to see him one more time; to kiss him, like so many times before...

I missed him, more than anything, and his death had been all wrong. He shouldn't have died. I'm not worth protecting… I'm weak! Unfit to help anyone. Why do I always end up being protected?

He turned away now. His time with me was coming to an end. Gaia, how could I lose him again?

"Cloud..."

A single murmur of my name passed through his lips. It was like a caress, and yet, like a stab through the heart. This would be the last time. He continued with his words…

"You know what I told you."

Oh, how many things he'd told me. How he loved me, that we would always be together, that nothing could separate our love. How he'd lied. His promises were broken now, and I was utterly alone. I knew what he wanted me to say, what I needed reminding of.

"That's right. I am your living legacy," I murmured.

Did he know what that meant to me? Did he know that I became him; that I took on his personality as my own? How long I had believed... forgotten...

His head bowed, and the wind whispered lightly. He was gone. I had no time to grieve his passing once more. I had to finish this, while his borrowed strength still coursed through my veins. Sephiroth would die. He was the reason for all of this. I let that anger guide me and I flew. My first attack was blocked. I gathered my power, the blue trail of mako crackled as it swept through the air, leaving a glowing trail behind me and my Buster sword.

"I pity you. You just don't get it at all! There's nothing I don't cherish!" I cried, meeting his gaze.

With a final act I struck him, again and again, using every enhanced blade of my sword.

Finally, I delivered the last blow… I landed on my feet, catching my blade as its many parts fell to the ground, embedding themselves in the steel structure around me. I stared up into the face of my enemy and let a few simple words fall from my lips.

"Stay where you belong. In my memories…"

Just like all the others. I knew Sephiroth as the General he once was. He had been so strong; so sure. I believed in him and I looked up to him; he and Zack and I, we had gotten along well, especially on missions together. Nibelheim; why did we ever go there? As far as I know, that's when it all went wrong. If only I could go back and change things...

Sephiroth looked at me, his eyes cold and unfeeling as always, even in the face of his own death.

"I will... never be a memory," He murmured. With that, he wrapped himself in his solitary beating black wing and reverted back into Kadaj.

The poor little puppet was dying. He stumbled forward, sword in hand. I tensed, at the ready; always the SOLDIER… or at least, always the SOLDIER I had pretended to be. Then Kadaj fell, his energy gone. I caught him. What else could I do? These were his final moments. Lunatic as he was, surely everyone deserved some form of comfort in their final moments. Funny how I seem to be so good at it... Death is no stranger to me.

"Brother..." Kadaj's last moments were of his own making. He shouted for his mother, and he reached for her. He was taken, and his body returned to the Lifestream, as all else does and will. It was done.

It was raining. It reminded me of Aerith and Zack. Aerith, because she existed in the water, or at least to me she always did… and Zack, because he had drawn his last breath in the rain. I stood, letting it wash the blood from me, as I tilted my head upward. It was cool and soothing my flushed skin. I finally had a moment of peace. I let my mind wander. I could feel them both with me, watching over me.

A sudden explosion in my chest winded me. It took a moment for the pain to set in. I fell to my knees. How could I have forgotten? Loz and Yazoo… How stupid of me to lower my guard so soon after a battle!

They spoke, but I couldn't hear them over the pounding of blood in my ears. I dragged myself to my feet once more. This was the last push; the final act. I ran towards them, a cry of rage and effort escaping my lips. They raised their hands and the materia in their arms glowed brightly, blinding, and then... nothing.

I can only remember snatches of voices.

"Cloud? Cloud!"

...

"Spiky hang in there, yo?"

...

"There's so much blood..."

...

"I don't think... losing him..."

...

"...no...stay....please...without you...Cloud!"

Then I was suspended in a warm soothing place. Everything was calm and I felt something. A hand, on my forehead?

"Mother?" I mumbled.

"Again? Why is everyone calling me their mother lately?" A feminine voice eased.

"I guess they must be fond of you…"

"I think this one is a little too big to adopt."

"Sorry friend. It looks like, there's no place for you here," That familiar voice washing over me again, bringing confusion to my mind and love to my heart…

I felt a sharp tug and I was falling… Then, I was suspended once more. There was a light snuffling, and I began to stir. Water? I opened my eyes, and there were children there; about six of them holding me in a pool of water. I stood hesitantly. All of my wounds had healed and my stigma was… Gone? I was cured. I would survive. Again. Once again, I had survived, letting others' sacrifices protect me. I was weak; a coward! Perhaps I should just have died…

"Welcome back," A voice snapped me out of my dull musings. I looked up and there they were. Everyone. Tifa, Barrett, Cait Sith, Red XIII, Cid, Vincent, Yuffie, Marlene and Denzel; everyone I cared about except...those two. I nodded.

"I'm back."

Tifa smiled gently in reply, and Red spoke up.

"There are still children with the stigma," he gestured at the others. I nodded again, and Denzel stepped forward.

Tifa crouched down to speak to him at eye level.

"Come on, let's get you fixed up."

He nodded hesitantly.

I stepped forward as he did and lifted him into the pool. I scooped some water into my palms, and poured it over his stigma. A green glow surrounded it, filling it, and then… he was cured.

There was laughter everywhere.

"Last one in is a rotten egg!" A voice cried. The children were dancing and jumping around, splashing each other and smiling. Everyone was happy. I took in the scene around me. Children, Tifa, Marlene, and Aerith playing with some of the children...wait!

I felt myself freeze. It wasn't possible. It was _not_ possible! She couldn't be… but... I watched as she walked away, her pink dress fitting her perfectly. How I wish she would come towards me, instead of moving further away. I acted without thought.

"Wait!" I cried, and I jumped out of the pool, running forward to quickly close the space between us. She turned to look at me, the first time I had ever seen her face during a 'visit'. She was as beautiful as ever; even more so, if possible.

"Aerith, I'm sorry..." I began, making to grasp her arm, but my hand just passed through.

"I can only touch you," She said, her voice soft and melodic. As she said this, she rested her hand upon my cheek. I looked into her eyes and felt the agony of having to part from her well up within me.

"I am so sorry. I couldn't save you, I wasn't strong enough... I couldn't save anyone..."

"Cloud," His voice was as I had heard it earlier. I gasped and looked around. Zack. My Zack was standing feet from me. Aerith dropped her hand at once. Yes, she was my friend, but Zack was…

I stepped toward him.

"Zack, please," My voice broke on the last word, "Please, stay with me…"

I was begging now. I would beg, plead, anything I could, if he would only stay with me. His face changed from calm to distraught in a moment.

"My time is done, Spiky. I've done my job. I made sure you survived to do this," he gestured toward the happy crowd. Suddenly he began to fade.

"Ah! My time is up. I've used my quota of visits. This is goodbye for real this time," He turned with Aerith, and began to walk toward the light that waited just beyond the doorway. Just as he reached it though, he turned to me once more. I quickly walked to him, and he leaned in to kiss me just once. It was beautiful. It was soft and lovingly feather light, but it spoke of nothing but the purest love. He looked at me, love and longing in his eyes along with grief at our parting.

"Cloud, I love..." but he never got to finish. He faded out of existence along with Aerith. "No!" I shouted in panic, "No! You can't…"

I ran out the door, searching. I was always searching...

"Cloud?"

I turned sharply to see my companion's watching me warily. Tifa came forward. She seemed unsure of how to react to my sudden bout of madness.

"Cloud, what's wrong? What are you seeing?" She asked softly. Everyone's eyes were full of pity, concern, and undoubtedly, worry. I sighed and slumped to the ground. The weight of everything settled upon me, as I whispered my reply.

"Ghosts…"

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**Thoughts?**


	2. Chapter 2

Ghosts chapter 2.

I was with you the whole time you know. Watching. There is not much I can do from here except watch you struggle. I'm so sorry Cloud. I wish I could be there for you, I wish we could have faced everything together. I wish I could have protected and cared for you when you were suffering from the stigma.

There were brief flashes when I could manifest as the wolf, mostly to places or times where you had a strong need for me or felt a strong connection to me. The hill on which I died was one. I remember all the times you would come and visit my grave. Sometimes you would just stand for a few moments and I could feel the grief from you wash over me. Sometimes you would sit, resting your soul for a while and talk to me. Back resting against my sword I could almost reach out and touch you.

It was the times that the stigma took hold and you were driven to your knees or to unconsciousness from the pain that truly broke my heart to see. You didn't ask for the help you needed and it drove me mad. All you had to do was talk to Tifa, talk to anyone. They all would have helped you without thought. You were working so hard to find a cure for Denzil that you spared no thought for yourself. It almost killed you.

You called out for me sometimes in your pain and in your grief. Begging me to return to you sometimes you wept and other times you screamed, furious that I would not come to you. If only I could, I would be by your side in a heart-beat. I would have loved to do nothing more than to take care of you and keep you out safe in my arms.

It was during the fight with Sephiroth that I simply couldn't stay away any longer. Aerith got to see you loads! She got to help you fight and give you strength, I guess she came at the times you needed her and I came at the times you needed me. She got to look at you with her own eyes and what did I get? A stupid mutt...

You were losing. _Dying_ Cloudy, I know how hard it is to see each other. To hear your voice and know that these moments are precious. I wish I had been able to kiss you, hold you like so many times before and tell you how much I love you. However, that was not what you needed. In order to survive you needed me to be your mentor. The SOLDIER and friend you remembered. You needed to be empowered and to be given a belief in yourself. I can give you that, I can give you anything you need. Anything.

You were able to defeat Sephiroth and save the day. It was all you Spikey all I did was make you believe. Let you feel the love we share renewed and let it strengthen you.

I remember the moment clearly. You were pushing yourself so hard, he had hurt you terribly and you were trying so hard to move past the pain and finish the fight. That's when I came to you. I couldn't face you. To do so and not kiss you would be impossible and a make-out session would be wonderful... but it wouldn't help you win the fight plus my time with you was so limited.

"So what if it looks hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up."

I was ready. Sword in hand. If you needed me to fight with you I would. I would make sure you made it through this whole. I brought it up in front of my face and bowed into it.

"Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as SOLDIER!"

That's when I remembered. You hadn't made it that far. Whoops, what a slip! I dropped the act, slumping a little to try and lighten the mood.

"Well, okay, you never made SOLDIER. But its what's in here that counts."

I put my fist over my heart. I felt the steady rhythm and wished harder than ever that I wouldn't be taken from you again. I knew it was hopeless. That my time with you was done... but one can dream. I quickly snapped out of it and continued.

"Zack?" You sounded so disbelieving and so hopeful. It almost broke my heart.

"Well? You need a hand with him?"

I selfishly hoped you would say yes so I would have a reason to stay with you for a while longer. I know you wished for that too but we both understood that this was a battle you had to fight alone. You shook your head, hair flecked with crimson from your wounds. I wanted to turn and help you to your feet, kiss you, whisper in your ear how I loved you but I couldn't, this was not my fight. You managed to get back on your feet. I couldn't stay turned from you any longer. Facing you I had to encourage you now. I had to make you believe.

"You already beat him once, didn't you? This should be a cinch."

You braced yourself. Focusing on the fight ahead. "Yeah."

I turned back. Feeling the tug of the afterlife I had to be quick.

"Cloud. You know what I told you."

I could think of so many things I said to you. How I loved you, how our love was forever, how we would always be together and always fight together. You were remembering in that instant too. I could feel it, but we both knew that was not what I was talking about. We both knew what you needed to win this battle.

"That's right. I am your living legacy." Your voice was determined now. My job was done.

I bowed my head grinning, the light took me from you but I knew you would win against Sephiroth. I knew I had said what you needed me to. I watched you finish him. We welcomed Kadaj, the sad broken puppet into the lifestream. His brothers came too and so did you.

Then you were with us. Suspended with me and Aerith in the between space.

"Mother?," You mumbled.

Aerith laid her hand on your head while I watched over you. I was so happy to see you again so soon but wished for nothing more than for you to live again. You are too young to die, but who am I to say that? You outlived me, but you had so much left to live for! Tifa and the kids, everyone. You had a life waiting for you.

"Again? Why is everyone calling me their mother lately?" Aeith's voice snapped me from my thoughts.

"I guess they must be fond of you." I smiled at Aerith as I replied and she smiled. A knowing look in her eyes.

Studying your face now I noticed how old you were. No longer the young cadet I took under my wing, you were pale and there were dark circles under your eyes. I sighed to myself, you need more sleep spiky!

"This one's a little too big to adopt." Aerith decided.

I held your hand while we spoke to you, finally we could feel your presence fading. This was not the place for you yet.

"Tough luck friend. Sounds like you don't have a place here."

Yes. It was tough luck we had to be separated once again. I knew that was a selfish way to think but I couldn't help it. I kissed your hand as you faded away. I was the wolf again for a moment but not long enough to remember much. Just a brief flash of your scent and the blinding white all around.

Then we watched you from the doorway as you woke and cured Denzil. I watched the shock pass over face when you spotted Aerith and then the desperation when you realised she was walking away from you.

I watched you run to her. Try to touch her and begin to stutter apologies as she cupped his cheek gently. I sighed to myself. Why are you always blaming yourself for everything?

"Cloud," I saw the look of shock pass over your face. Aerith dropped her hand and let you move forward.

"Zack please," your voice broke "Please, stay with me..." your face crumpled. You were _begging_ me. I felt my face fall too. If only I could.

"My time is done, Spiky. I've done my job. I made sure you survived to do this." I gestured at the crowd. I felt the familiar tug and my heart broke to know we would be apart again so soon.

"Ah! My time is up. I've used my quota of visits. This is goodbye for real this time." I turned to leave hoping that it would be easier this way. But I couldn't leave you just standing there. This was our last goodbye until you died. This was it. I turned and kissed you nothing to strong. Just enough to remind you of my love. To let you know my feelings had not and would not ever change.

I pulled back from the kiss and looked into your perfect blue eyes.

"Cloud, I Love..."

There was a sharp tug and we were back in the space.

"...you." I looked around me and realised what had happened. I didn't even get to finish. Finally I allowed weakness in. With Aerith there the one who had comforted me before. Who had embraced me when Angeal died. Who had consoled me once I realised I was dead and what that meant. I crumpled to my knees. I could feel my mentor's presence in the background but right now I needed to let loose my grief from the separation. I cried for a long time into her pink dress. I hated being separated from you!

I knew deep down that it would be fine. That I would watch over you, still feel your presence when you came to visit my grave atop the hillside. I would still hear your voice when you wanted to speak with me, we would meet one day. I only hope that it is when you are old and grey. I also knew that you would be fine! You would live a long and healthy life. You had to. You are after all my living legacy.

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**A.N: **I was watching FFVIIACC a few nights ago and inspiration hit me. I hope you guys enjoyed it. :) Reviews are **_always_** appreciated. If you spot any little typos or anything let me know. :)

This one is for Stewart, for always making me believe I can achieve anything. :) Thank you.


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